mineral

Clear/White Quartz (Rock Crystal)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white/cloudy; Luster: Vitreous (glass-like); Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless to white/cloudy
Luster: Vitreous (glass-like)

Identified March 20, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white/cloudy; Luster: Vitreous (glass-like); Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) and exists across nearly all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in electronics (oscillators), glass manufacturing, abrasives, jewelry, and as a popular specimen for metaphysical and mineral collectors.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Historically, the Greeks believed rock crystal was permanently frozen ice (krustallos).

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage, and its characteristic greasy-to-vitreous luster. Found globally; major high-quality deposits are in Brazil and Arkansas, USA.

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